Ability increasing magic items...

[kreynolds]

This kinda thing really chaps my hide, but I'd like all of your opinions on this too. It's about magic items that grant an ability increase to a stat. Now, there is no rule that states that a magic item that grants a bonus to Strength cannot grant a bonus greater than +6. WotC simply stopped there in the DMG and splat books. So what the heck is the problem with having a +8 to Strength magic item? Take a look at these prices for different belts of strength...

Belt of Strength +2 = 4,000gp
Belt of Strength +4 = 16,000gp
Belt of Strength +6 = 36,000gp
(this is where WotC stops making them)
Belt of Strength +8 = 64,000gp
Belt of Strength +10 = 100,000gp

...there...so what's the problem? By the way, if you know about the epic level rules, don't bring them up there, at least not yet. I've heard the argument that a Belt of Strength +8 is just too powerful. How is that? I don't get it? If the character can afford it, then what the hey, let him have it.

Here's another one that I get. "If you can buy a Belt of Strength +10 to every stat for a total of just 600,000gp, the game would become unbalanced." You ain't kiddin' it becomes unbalanced! Cause that Belt should actually cost 1,100,000gp!

Naturally, even a 20th level character can't have that belt! But again, I ask, what's the big deal about having a magic item that grants, say +10 to strength? Think about it. The 20th level character that buys/creates/owns a Belt of Strength +10 is short 100,000gp of his character wealth. That's a hefty chunk of wealth too, but it wouldn't be impossible to then equip himself wisely with the remaining 660,000gp. I mean, come on, that's 660,000gp left over to equip himself! Plenty of money.

Anyways. Thoughts?

 

[mikebr99]

Perfectly acceptable...

I personally think there would be better ways to spend your gold... but If that fighter just HAS to have that much STR... I'm not going to stop him.

 

[Thanee]

Prerequisite to create should include Empower Spell then, tho.

Bye
Thanee

 

[kreynolds]

Prerequisite to create should include Empower Spell then, tho.

Bye
Thanee

Trust me when I tell you that the prereq's shouldn't automatically change , though that's not a bad idea.

 

[trentonjoe]

seems fine to me. Having never had a 20th level character, I don't have the experience in running such games, but as long as you had an experienced DM (which you and your group seem to be) what difference should it be?

I had a 15 year old kid tell me one time, "I never let the rules get in the way of my imagination." I thought that was pretty profound.

 

[Caliban]

*shrug* I don't think it's inherently bad, but at some point your magic items will overshadow your character. Too me, that's less fun. Carried to far, and you just have a collection of magic items with a name attached.

 

[kreynolds]

*shrug* I don't think it's inherently bad, but at some point your magic items will overshadow your character. Too me, that's less fun. Carried to far, and you just have a collection of magic items with a name attached.

I would think that would be a problem with the player and not with the system.

Do you find that you lose focus of your character when you have lots of items, or one pretty powerful one? Or is it mostly others that you have gamed with that have this problem? (Somehow, I doubt you do. You seem like a pretty solid role-player too me, so I wouldn't think it a problem for you)

Personally, I don't care what my characters have when I play them. There are two sides to a D&D character: 1) The personality of the character, and 2) The numbers. I don't really care what the numbers are. I just need to know what they are for combat, spells, skills, etc.

The first aspect of the D&D character is the most important, for without that, you're no longer playing a character. That's what people lose sight off.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I really do not see a problem with bigger stat boosters.

If I am allowed to have a 200,000 gp sword, your game world will not sudden collapse because a 100,000 gp strength belt appears.

Putting that many eggs into one basket is not optimal from the eyes of this recovering powergamer.

It certainly can fit into a game world where the Belt of Hercules turns a 90-pound weakling into the strongest man in the world.

 

[Metalsmith]

You betcha Timmy!

It sounds reasonable to me.

Of course there are eaiser ways to be stronger such as polymorphing into a Troll or some such and straping on the belt and getting a permament Illusion to make you look like you used to...


Metalsmith

 

[Crothian]

There really isn't any problem other then they are boring

I'm getting to the point where I like magical items to have a little bit of flare in them and not just be about increasing the numbers. I know I'm in the minority there.